Cons
Tough to install on infested test systems. Some false positives. Very slow spam filtering. Some effect on system performance. Password manager can be awkward. Online Guardian features other than social tracking are weak.

By Neil J. RubenkingSafeSync Online BackupIn a way, file backup is the ultimate security, especially online backup. If an elephant steps on your laptop, you can still recover your important files. Maximum Security lets you install Trend Micro's SafeSync for Home with 5GB of storage for online backup, syncing, and sharing. Those who want even more can purchase the $99.95 Trend Micro Titanium Premium Security 2013, which is identical to Maximum Security but offers 25GB of online storage.

As with DirectPass, SafeSync requires a separate installation. Clicking its link on the Data tab takes you to a page that offers downloads for PC, Mac, Android, and iOS devices; I looked specifically at the Windows version.

On installation, SafeSync sets up a Trend Micro SafeSync folder on your desktop. Any files you drop here will be backed up online, and will also appear in the SafeSync folder on your other devices. Files are encrypted before transmission to online storage, naturally.

Norton 360 offers both local and online backup, though you just get 2GB online. I do like the fact that Norton 360 can back up all files of specified types, wherever they're found on your system. On the other hand, Norton 360 doesn't sync between multiple devices.

As with Norton 360, SafeSync lets you access your backed-up files from any Internet-equipped computer and create a link to securely share a particular file. You can password-protect the link, set an expiry date, or limit it to one use. If necessary, you can disable the link at any time. Like Webroot, SafeSync lets you match up folders on different systems so that any change made on one system automatically syncs to the others.

With the help of a Java applet, you can edit files directly through the Web console. It also lets you restore up to ten previous versions of a file, selecting the desired version by date/time stamp. Overall, it's a comprehensive and flexible backup system.

Online GuardianIn addition to the built-in parental control system, users of Maximum Security can add Trend Micro Online Guardian for Families. When I tested the standalone product, I wasn't terribly impressed. However, it tracks social networking and instant messaging activity while the built-in parental control does not.

As with DirectPass and SafeSync, getting started with Online Guardian requires a separate download and configuration. All configuration takes place in a Web-based console, with a small, local client on each protected system to enforce the rules.

You can configure settings individually for up to five children, specifying the name and age for each and selecting a picture. When I reviewed the standalone product, each child needed a password to use the Internet. In the current edition, the child enters a simple three-digit code.

Online Guardian includes Web content filtering and Internet scheduling that duplicate features already found in the built-in parental control system. However, unlike almost every other parental control system, these features aren't browser-independent. They only work in Internet Explorer and Firefox, and they don't even work in the latest versions of Firefox. Just leave these features turned off and rely on the built-in parental control system.

Online Guardian can block the kids from sending parent-defined private information via a supported Web browser or chat program (Yahoo Messenger or Windows Live Messenger). This feature is handy, but since it's limited to supported programs it won't provide serious protection. Online Guardian can send an email notification when it detects a private data violation. Since my earlier review, Trend Micro has added the option to have it send notifications for other events such as trying to visit blocked websites.

As noted, the real reason to use Online Guardian is its tracking of social networking. In order to track Facebook and MySpace, you'll need to install an app on the child's account. With the app in place, Online Guardian can track all activity. It doesn't need any app to track activity on Twitter, YouTube, or Flickr. Note, though, that if the child connects to any of these three using an unsupported browser, Online Guardian won't see it.

I had a tough time testing this feature. I'd log in under a child account, then log in to a social networking site and make a post. When I checked the Online Guardian report, I saw nothing. Gradually, over time, my activities started to show up. My Trend Micro contacts verified that social networking events can take 24 to 48 hours to show up. Seriously! If your lovestruck teen daughter announced her new relationship on Facebook, you may be the last to know it.

Online Guardian records instant messaging conversations that go through the official client for Yahoo Messenger or Windows Live Messenger. If your child uses a Web-based chat client or an aggregator like Trillian, those conversations won't be captured.

In the online report you'll get a list of recent Twitter and Flickr activity along with playable thumbnails of recently-viewed YouTube videos. It reports recent activity and recently contacted friends in MySpace. Facebook coverage is the most thorough, with all recent wall posts, events, and messages, as well as recently contacted friends.

As a standalone parental control program, Online Guardian just doesn't impress. However, its tracking of social networking and instant messages may be just what some parents want. Use it to supplement the built-in parental control, not to replace it.

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